Automatic high velocity spray cleaning apparatus



p 15, 1959 G. L. HENZEL 2,904,053

AUTOMATIC HIGH VELOCITY SPRAY CLEANING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 25, 1957 4 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. GEOEGE L. HENZEL.

p 15, 1959 G. L. HENZEL 2,904,053

AUTOMATIC HIGH VELOCITY SPRAY CLEANING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 25, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m I a J l J l 451 a A i 0 c I A \J L l 2 AK INVENTOR. GEOIPGEL.HENZEL.

ATTORNEYS.

MMMQWJAM AUTOMATIC HIGH VELOCITY SPRAY CLEANING APPARATUS:

George L. Henzel, Rutherford, N.J., assignor to Cobehn, Inc, Caldwell, NJ., a corporation of New Jersey Application November, 25,1957, SerialNo. 698,864.

7 Claims. (Cl. 134- 58) This invention relates to automatic high velocity spray cleaning apparatus for cleaning precision parts. While especially useful in cleaning precision bearings, the invention is adapted for use cleaning other precision parts and small parts which are diflicult toclean by immersion' and the like cleaning methods.

Sincethe cleaning of precision instrument bearings presents certain critical requirements, an embodiment of the inventionsuitable for this purpose will be described. It is well known that such parts can best be cleaned by subjecting the parts to a high velocity atomized spray of a suitable cleaning fluid solvent followed bya high velocity hot air stream to completely dry the part to avoidl'usti'ng or the collection of dust particles. The cleaning cycle customarily used comprises a short period ofatomized spray followed by a longer period of hot air drying by air ejected at high pressure (say 80 psi.) from the spray nozzle. One or more cleaning cycles may be required. In order to adequately clean a bearing it is customary to support it by its inner race on a suitable holder such as tweezers and permit the outer race to rotate under the impact of the jet stream. However, great care must be taken to prevent the high velocity stream from rotating the outer race and balls at an excessively high speed which would damage the bearing. To preventsuch damage, it is customary to move the part back and forth across. the jet stream so as to reverse the direction of rotation. Accordingly much depended onthe skill of the operator in imparting the correct length of reciprocal stroke as well asthe rate of speedof the reciprocal movement, and both of which should vary according tothe size of the bearing tobe cleaned. Additionally, to reduce to a the fluid solvent required there is an optimum length of travel and rate of speed of the reciprocal movement of the bearing.

An object of this invention is to provide means for United States Patent moving the part to be cleaned back and forth in a fixed path traversing the spray j'etat the desired reciprocal stroke and rate of speed.

' Another object is to provide means for holding the part to be cleaned so as to expose the maximum surfaces of the part to the jet stream of cleaning sprayand drying spray.

Another object is to provide means for moving the reciprocating means to a position where the part to be cleaned may be p aced on its holder out of the jet stream and, thereafter moved into. the cleaning path, preferably without disturbing the adjustment of the reciprocating mechanism. 7

A further object is to; provide means for readily positioning the spray nozzle at the desired vertical and; horizontal; distance from and at; the desired angle to the, reciprocal path of; the part to be cleaned,

Further andother objects, features and advantages of the inventionwillmore clearly appear fromv the detailed description given below, taken in conjunction with the. accompanying drawings illustrating, by way of example,

the spray head 2 and nozzle 4'.

a ICC the presently preferred embodiment of the invention, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of an embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an elevational viewtaken at line 22 of Fig. 1, showing the adjustable mounting of the spray head;

Fig. 2a is a plan view taken at line 2a--2a of Fig. 2 showing details of the holder for the part to be cleaned; on a somewhat enlarged scale;

Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view taken at line 33 of Fig. 2, showing further details of the adjustable mounting;

Fig 4 is an electric circuit wiring diagram of the device shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view, partly in section, showing certain details of the valve structure of the spray head, on a somewhat enlarged scale.

Referring more particularly to Fig. l: The present embodiment of the invention comprises a hollow base 1 on the top of which isadjustably mounted a spray head generally designated as 2, to be more particularly de-' scribed below. The spray head comprises a body block 3- (Figs. 2 and 5) and an atomizer nozzle 4 provided with a hot air inlet 41 in communication by means of a hose 5 with a suitable source (not shown) of filtered heated air; and the nozzle 4 is also provided with a fluid inlet 42 in communication by means of a hose 6- with a suitable source (not shown) of cleaning solvent. The spray head is also provided with a valve for controlling the admissionof cleaning solvent tothe fluid inlet 42.. The valve comprises a rotatable valve disc 3a having an arcuate valve port 311- adapted to interconnect the ports- 43 and 44 in the fluid inlet 42; The rotary valve disc 3a is actuated by arotary solenoid 16 which is known under the trade name Ledex, identified as. Model or Style No. BD3ER45-38X1-X9Z8, made by G. Leland, line, Dayton, Ohio. This solenoid unit is provided with a crank arm 16a (Fig. 5 engageablein a peripheral notch 3c insaid disc so. as to move the valve disc 3d in aclockwise direction and cause the arcuate valve port 3bto interconnect the ports 43 and: 44 and thereby admit fluid to pass through the-fluid inlet 42 into the nozzle 4.

The head 2 is pivotally mounted for angular adjustment by a supporting screw 7 passing through a hole in the upper end of a post 8 and in threaded engagement with the body 3 of the head 2 to provide for angular adjustment of the nozzle 4. The post 8- is made in two parts adjustably held together by screws'such as- 9* passing through registering holessuchas 10 and secured-in position by wing nuts. such as 1 to provide for vertical adjustment of the head. The lower end of post'8 is provided with a foot 12 secured toa plate 13 by screws 14in threaded engagement in one of a series of spaced pairs of holes 15 providing for horizontal adjustment of Reciprocating means for part to be cleaned. The following mechanism is provided; for reciprocally moving the part to be cleaned, such. asthe precision bearmg B (Figs. 1. and; 2). A mounting plate 20: is slidably disposed between. side rails 21- .2.2 with its forward end abutting a stop rail 23: to positively locate the forward position of the plate with respect to the axisof nozzle 4 A pedestal 24; is rigidly secured toand extends upwardly from the plate 20, and carries on its upper end a bearing block 25. in which is sli'dably disposed a rack bar 26 ex tending horizontally in a direction transverse the axisofi nozzle. 4 and spaced downwardly therefrom. right hand end: of the rack bar 26 has detach-ably secured' thereto. a holder 27=which in the present embodl mentisprovided with a pair of: springarms', each being provided at its upper end with a pair of spaced thin fingers such as 27a and 27b. The spring arms are biased outwardly and the .thin fingers 27a-27b are adapted to engage .Within the inner race of the bearing B at spaced points of engagement so as to expose the maximum inner peripheral surface of the bearing to the solvent spray and air drying jet and to hold the bearing centered on a vertical axis. Thelower end of the holder 27 is provided with a threaded end 28 serving to detachably secure it to the rack 26. The opposite end of the rack 26 is pivotally attached to one end of a crank arm 29 whose other end is pivotally attached to an eccentric plate 30 by means of a connecting .pin 31 whose lower end is slidably disposed in one of a series of holes such as 32 disposed respectively at varying radial distances from the center of the eccentric plate 30 so as to provide for varying degrees of eccentricity of the arm 29, to thereby vary the eiiective stroke of the arm 29 and therefore the length of the reciprocal stroke of the rack bar 26. This will permit adjustment of the stroke length and length of reciprocal movement of the bearing B to correspond to the length of cleaning path transverse the spray axis in accondance with the size of the bearing or the part to be cleaned. The eccentric driving plate 30 is connected by a suitable gear box 33 with a variable speed electric motor M, the operation and speed of which is controlled by a rheostat unit34 whose adjusting handle is positioned above the top of the base 1 near the front edge in a central posi tion. Mounted on the top of base 1 and extending upwardly therefrom, to the left of the rheostat unit 34, is a time delay control unit, designated in its entirety as 35, for adjustably controlling the control switch circuits to be hereinafter described. A suitable time delay control unit 35 is that known under the trade name Agastat of the type designated as Model DET-Y-Zl-GZ (suitable for 110 volt 6O cycle current) and made by Aga Division of Electric Stop Nut Corporation of America, Elizabeth, N. J. Mounted to the right of the rheostat unit 34 is a switch box containing a toggle switch 36, a push button switch 37 and a pilot light 38, the function of which will be hereinafter described.

Electric power is connected by means of an outlet plug 39 to a 110 volt AC. 60 cycle power line designated 40. The units for the motor switch and speed control, the mechanism for the switches 36 and 37 and certain other electrical units to be referred to hereinafter are mounted the hollow base '1 below the top panel.

Electrical circuit Referring to Fig. 4 where the various elements of the electrical circuit are somewhat diagrammatically illustrated: The time delay unit 35 comprises a solenoid 45, a time delay opening switch 46 and a time delay switch 47 connected across a feed line 48 extending from the power line 40 and controlled by either the toggle switch 36 or the push button switch 37 which are connected in parallel in the feed line 48. The pilot light 38 is controlled by the switch 46 and the solenoid 16 is controlled by the switch 47. A rectifier 49 supplies DC. to the rotary solenoid 16. The solenoid 16 is conveniently connected in the circuit by means of wires 17 (Figs. 1 and 2) and an outlet plug 18.

'Upon energization of the solenoid 45, the switches 46 and 47 are closed and the cleaning cycle is initiated. The switch 46 is timed so that its opening will be delayed for a period of time covering one complete cleaning cycle, including a short spray cleaning phase and a longer hot air drying phase during which time the pilot light 38 will be lighted to indicate the commencement and'the termination of one complete cycle; whereas the time delay of the switch 47 is adjusted to have a delayed opening of a much shorter duration corresponding to the spray phase of a cleaning cycle. For example, with small precision bearings the spray phase may be 1-2 seeends, and the drying phase may be 6-8 seconds, so that the. total cycle during which the switch 46 is closed will be 7-10 seconds. The durations of the spray phase and drying phase above given are for a chlorinated hydrocarbon cleaning solvent such as is available on the market under the brand name Cobehn, and for petroleum base solvents the spray phase and drying phase will be substantially longer. The time delay adjustment of the switches 46 and 47 will take care of both the variation in the size of articles being cleaned and the variation in the type of solvent used.

The push button switch 37 effects a single cleaning cycle, wherein the closing of the toggle switch 36 provides for repeating the cycle so long as the switch remains closed, the repeat cycles follow closely one after the other, and the termination of each cycle is visually indicated by a flicker in the pilot light 38.

Operation It is understood that as is customary in spray cleaning procedures, hot air will be supplied to the hose 5 from a suitable source of filtered hot air maintained at a suit able temperature so as to deliver hot air at 150 F. as measured at A" from tip of spray nozzle 4 (which is the customary distance from the part to be cleaned) at a regulated pressure of about p.s.i.; and that cleaning fluid solvent will be supplied from a suitable source to the hose 6 through which it is sucked into the nozzle 4 when the nozzle fluid valve is open. Also, as is customary, suitable exhaust means are provided for carrying away the fumes of the nozzle spray such as by an exhaust hood mounted immediately behind the nozzle or by providing a cover for the device shown in Fig. 1 and connecting the cover to a suitable exhaust source, in the manner well understood by those skilled in the art.

Before commencing a cleaning operation, hot air is supplied through the hose 5 and thence through the nozzle 4 for a sutficient time to heat the nozzle and the spray head unit. The length of reciprocation of the rack bar 26 is adjusted so that the bearing or other part to be cleaned will traverse the nozzle 4 and the rate of speed of reciprocal movement will be set to the optimum requirement by adjusting the speed of motor M. As a general rule, for small bearings (e.g. having an OD. of about 0.25), the reciprocal speed should be about reciprocations or half stroke reciprocations per minute; whereas for a bearing having an OD. of about 0.750" the reciprocations per minute should be about 70. This variation in reciprocal speed is very important to prevent excessive high speed of rotation of the bearing while in the nozzle stream.

Before placing the bearing B, or the part to be cleaned, on the holder 27 the mounting plate 20 together with all of the parts carried thereon is moved to the left so that its forward end is spaced from the stop rail 23 a sufficient distance to move the holder 27 out of the path of the air stream emitted from nozzle 4; the motor is stopped to facilitate loading of the bearing on holder 27, the bearing is then placed on the holder 27, the motor is started and the reciprocating mechanism on the mounting plate 20 is moved toward the nozzle 4 into a position predetermined by the end rail 23 and at this time the reciprocal motion of the bearing B corresponds with the desired cleaning path. Suitable adjustments having been made in the time delay unit 35, one complete cleaning cycle is initiated by pressing the switch 37, whereupon the pilot light 38 is lighted, the solenoid 16 is energized to move the valve disc 3a to open the spray head valve and thereby admit cleaning fluid to the nozzle 4 for the predetermined duration of the spray phase, and upon de-energization of the solenoid the valve is closed, the drying phase commences and the end of the predetermined cycle is visually indicated by the turning off of the pilot light 38. One or more successive individual cleaning cycles may be similarly effected by pressing the switch 37 the desired number of times. During each half reciprocation of the bearing B its direction of rotation is '5 reversed to thereby prevent its attaining a damaging rotational speed. After the bearing B has been cleaned, the reciprocating mechanism unit is slid to the left, the motor is stopped, the cleaned bearing removed and a succeeding hearing placed on the holder. Instead of usc' s r Pus in e button witch 37 o, e ec peatedcycl'es, thetogg e sw 36, may be used and at theiend of. each will flicker so that the operator. may count the number of: flickers to determipe whe n to removethe: paa'rram the cleaning path.

Wl l jbt i fiq 'a s. twin hi f s sqin f apmrality ofholders m y be disposed in spaced position on the agk to accommodate aplurality of bearipgs or other parts and that rsse'nia'y be simultaneouslycleaned by a like plurality of nozzles in corresponding spaced relationship.

Having thus described my invention with particularity with reference to the presently preferred embodiment thereof, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art, after understanding my invention, that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, and I aim in the appended claims to cover such changes and modifications as fall within the scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. In high velocity spray cleaning apparatus having a high velocity atomizer nozzle provided with inlets for hot air under pressure and a cleaning solvent respectively, the combination with said nozzle of moving means for reciprocating the part to be cleaned back and forth in a cleaning path traversing the stream axis of said high velocity nozzle, said means comprising a rack having a holder for carrying said part to be cleaned, bearing means in which said rack is slidably supported for reciprocation in a direction transverse said nozzle axis, an electric motor, drive means operatively connecting said motor to said rack for imparting reciprocating motion to said rack, means for adjusting said drive means to vary the reciprocating stroke of said rack and a mount for said moving means, said mount being supported for movement toward and away from said nozzle to facilitate loading and unloading parts from said holder.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said holder comprises spring blades biased outwardly and having on their upper ends a plurality of narrow fingers urged apart by said blades for engaging the interior of a part to be cleaned at peripherally spaced points to thereby expose the interior peripheral surface of said part to the cleaning solvent and hot air delivered by said atomizer nozzle.

3. In spray cleaning apparatus having an atomizer nozzle provided with an inlet for the continuous passage of air under pressure and an inlet for a cleaning solvent, and a time controlled valve for admitting cleaning fluid to the solvent inlet of said atomizer nozzle during a predetermined spray period of each cleaning cycle, the combination with said nozzle of moving means for reciprocating the part to be cleaned back and forth across the stream axis of said nozzle, said means comprising a rack having a holder for carrying said part to be cleaned, bearing means in which said rack is slidably supported for reciprocation in a direction transverse said nozzle axis, a driving crank arm pivotally connected at one end to said rack, an electric motor operatively connected to the other end of said crank arm, means for adjusting the eifective stroke of said crank arm to thereby vary the reciprocating stroke of said rack in accordance with the size of the article to be cleaned, a mount for said moving means, said mount being movable toward and away from said atomizer nozzle to an extent sufiicient to load the part to be cleaned on said holder out of reach of hot air passing through said nozzle.

4. In high velocity spray cleaning apparatus having a high velocity atomizer nozzle provided with inlets for hot air under pressure and a cleaning solvent respectively, the combination with said nozzle of moving means for reciprocating the part to be cleaned back and forth in a 6 cleaning path traversing the stream axis of said ve locity nozzle, said means comprising a rack having-a holdo carryingv s d. pa t q b e ned e n means in which said rack is slidably supported for reciprocation in a'direction transverse said nozzle axis, a driving crank arm pivotally connected at one endtg said rack, a crank plate having a plurality of holes spaced at varying radial distances from its center, a pin car-ried on the" other end of said crank arm for insertion into a selected one of said holes to thereby determine the length of the reciprocating stroke of said rack, a variable speed electric motor drivingly connected to said plate, means for adjusting the speed of said motor andthereby the speed, of reciprocation, a mount for said moving. means, said mount being supported for movement toward and away from said nozzle to facilitate loading and unloading parts from said holder.

5. In spray cleaning apparatus having an atomizer nozzle provided with an inlet for the continuous passage of air under pressure and an inlet for a cleaning solvent, and a time controlled rotary valve for admitting cleaning fluid to the solvent inlet of said atomizer nozzle during a predetermined spray period of each cleaning cycle, the combination with said nozzle and rotary valve of a rotary solenoid for operating said valve, moving means for reciprocating the part to be cleaned back and forth in a cleaning path extending across the stream axis of said nozzle, said means comprising a rack having a holder for carrying said part to be cleaned, bearing means in which said rack is slidably supported for reciprocation in a direction transverse said nozzle axis, an electric motor operatively connected to said rack for reciprocating the same, means for adjusting the length and speed of reciprocation of said rack to thereby vary the length of reciprocating travel and the rate of speed of the part to be cleaned in accordance with the size and character of the article to be cleaned, and means for movably supporting said moving means for unitary movement toward and away from said atomizer nozzle to an extent sufficient to load the part to be cleaned on said holder and to unload the cleaned part at a zone outside said cleaning path.

6. In a spray cleaning apparatus having a high velocity atomizer nozzle provided with inlets for filtered hot air under pressure and a cleaning solvent respectively and a control valve for admitting said cleaning solvent to its inlet during a predetermined spray period, the combination with said nozzle of moving means for reciprocating the part to be cleaned back and forth in a cleaning path traversing the stream axis of said atomizer nozzle, said means comprising a rack having a holder for carrying said part to be cleaned, bearing means in which said rack is slidably supported for reciprocation parallel to said cleaning path in a direction transverse said nozzle axis, an electric motor operatively connected to said rack for reciprocating the same, means for adjusting the length and speed of the reciprocating stroke of said rack in accordance with the size of the article to be cleaned, means for adjusting the vertical and horizontal positions and angular setting of said nozzle with respect to said cleaning path, and a mount for said moving means, said mount being slidable toward and away from said atomizer nozzle to an extent sufiicient to move the part to be cleaned carried on said holder into and out of reach of hot air passing through said nozzle.

7. In a spray cleaning apparatus having a high velocity atomizer nozzle provided with inlets for filtered hot air under pressure and a cleaning solvent respectively and a rotary valve biased to closed position for admitting said cleaning solvent to its inlet, the combination with said nozzle and rotary valve of a rotary solenoid for operating said valve and electric time delay means for energizing said solenoid for a predetermined spray period, mov ing means for reciprocating the part to be cleaned back and forth in a cleaning path traversing the stream axis of said atomizer nozzle, said means comprising a rack -7 having aholder for carrying said part to be cleaned, hearing means in which said rack is slidably supported for reciprocation parallel to said cleaning path in a direction transverse said nozzle axis, a driving crank arm pivotally connected at one end to said rack, an electric motor connected to the other end of said crank arm, means for adjusting the effective stroke of said crank arm to thereby yary the reciprocating stroke of said rack in accordance with the size of the article to be cleaned, means for adjusting the vertical and, horizontal distances from and angle of said nozzle with respect to said cleaning path, a mount for said moving means, said mount being slidab-le toward and away from said atomizer nozzle to an extent suflicient tomove the part to be cleaned carried on said 8 holder into and outof reach of hot air passing through said nozzle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 66,430 Wanzer July 2, 1867 1,323,216 Cornwall Nov. 25, 1919 1,671,557 Tyler May 29, 1928 2,000,792 Schmiedeknecht May 7, 1935 2,131,406 Mosmieri Sept. 27, 1938 2,281,499 Herzburn Apr. 28, 1942 2,682,213 Shapiro June 29, 1954 2,707,961 Geiger May 10, 1955 2,771,894

Low NOV. 27, 1956 

